Bahrain

There was cheering among the libertarian community when, in the last months of his administration, Barack Obama decided to halt some arms sales to Saudi Arabia, following "allegations" of war crimes perpetrated by the kingdom in Yemen. However, it appears that Saudi Arabia - despite its clear predisposition toward Hillary Clinton in the presidential race - has made even deeper inroads into the White House than many suspected because according to the Washington Times, the Trump Administration is poised to "quickly approve" not only the deal rejected by Obama.

A day after it joined Saudi Arabia in severing diplomatic ties with Iran, Bahrain has halted all flights to and from the Islamic republic. Bahrain’s transport ministry announced the move Tuesday in a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency. Kuwait also recalled its ambassador from Tehran on Tuesday amid a growing regional dispute surrounding Saudi Arabia’ execution of a Shiite cleric on Saturday.

Earlier today, in “Mid-East Melee: Sectarian Showdown Looms As Bahrain Cuts Ties With Iran, UAE Recalls Ambassador,” we brought you the latest from the war-torn Mid-East where a worsening spat between Saudi Arabia and Iran threatens to plunge the region into chaos.

Nations allied to Saudi Arabia have joined diplomatic action against Iran, amid a row over the Saudi execution of Shia Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr. Bahrain and Sudan have both followed Saudi Arabia and cut diplomatic relations with Iran. Bahrain has demanded that Iranian diplomats leave the country within 48 hours. The UAE has downgraded its diplomatic team and announced it is planning to cut the number of Iranian diplomats it allows to be in the country. The BBC reports: Saudi Arabia on Sunday gave Iranian diplomats two days to leave after an attack on its embassy in Tehran.

"The unjustly spilled blood of this oppressed martyr will no doubt soon show its effect and divine vengeance will befall Saudi politicians.”

That rather ominous quote is from Ayatollah Khamenei who was decidedly upset with Saudi Arabia’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.